


Stay

by edensgarden



Series: Starry Night [7]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Canon Related, Canon Universe, During Canon, F/F, Female Friendship, Female Titan Arc, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Loss, Love Confessions, POV Female Character, Pain, Reader-Insert, Revelations, Titan Shifter Eren Yeager, Titan Shifters, Titan Shifting, Titans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:15:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23281603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edensgarden/pseuds/edensgarden
Summary: When Annie is forced to reveal her secret to everyone, you feel the world around you crumbling.And when you are forced to witness Eren threatening to devour her alive, you feel the entire universe shattering.
Relationships: Annie Leonhart/Reader
Series: Starry Night [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1644964
Comments: 5
Kudos: 78





	Stay

“Excuse me?”

A soft voice called out to you, merely a whisper that was almost blown away by the harsh wind blowing through you. You turned around to see the trio of Eren, Mikasa and Armin standing in front of you.

The former was in between the latter two and you took a minute to really look at him.

_Eren Jaeger._

He was the boy rumored to have the ability to turn into a Titan.  
The boy who threw a boulder to close the gap after the wall got broken through a second time.

You had never really liked Eren or Mikasa, both cold and hard to talk to, though Armin had always been polite and friendly to anyone.

Eren had always seemed too brash and reckless in your eyes, the hatred he very much obviously held for Titans having swallowed him whole, leaving him as nothing but a shell that was to be utilized to free humanity from its shackles.

You were a lot more ignorant than that. The outside world didn’t seem as alluring to you. You had been content with your life inside the walls. With Annie by your side… You had no desire to leave the safe haven that was inside the walls.

But there was one thing you had to admit – and it was that Eren had managed to make you rethink all of what you originally thought to be true. You had been taught that Titans were mindless monsters, who were put on earth by a ruthless god wanting to punish you for sins your ancestors had committed.

However…

Once you witnessed the titanized version of Eren screaming with vigor whilst plucking the hole, separating you once again from the monsters…

You were left to wonder if truly all Titans were as bad as they were made out to be.

In that moment you had gazed up at Eren, his naked and chiseled body glimmering beneath the slowly descending sun. You had been unable to escape your eyes from him, your skin breaking out in goosebumps as you had come to the realization _that you found him beautiful_.

You had breathed out softly, unaware that Annie had been watching your reaction closely, her own eyes fixed on you in anticipation. She had curled her fists and had gulped, desperate to take a peek into your mind.

Unbeknownst to you, Bertholdt and Reiner had joined her side, the latter nudging the former and nodding towards you with his chin. You hadn’t heard their vivid whispers, too focused on the wheels turning in your head at the scene in front of you.

“Titans… are humans?”

You had asked, still deaf to the gasps that had left their lips. Your heart had been pounding against your ribcage aggressively, your eyes burning as reality hit you like a sack of bricks.

“All this time… I’ve been killing humans?”

You had fallen to your knees, releasing the hand-grips sloppily, your blades clattering against the bricks of the roof. You hadn’t been able to stop the streaming of tears falling down your cheeks, your guttural cries filling the air around you.

Someone had pulled you against them instantly and you had lost all of your strength. Falling against whoever had come to your aid, you had let the sobs wreck through your shaking body, feeling the guilt washing over you in waves.

It wasn’t until the scent of mint laced with lemons reached your nose that you had curled your hands around the fabric of her chest, a string of apologies falling from your quivering lips.

Too busy struggling to get air into your lungs, you had missed the pained expression of Annie’s face, her eyes looking beggingly at Reiner and Bertholdt.

Too busy trying to come to terms with the reality that your hands were now stained with the blood of real people - people with memories, families, dreams and aspirations – you had missed the way Bertholdt turned away with tears in his eyes and Reiner shaking his head slowly at Annie.

Too busy trying to feel all of Annie and burying your pain in her warm embrace, you had missed the way she had clenched her jaw, hiding her face in the soft strands of your hair, her grip around you tightening just the slightest bit.

“You’re _____, right?”

Armin smiled at you, his expression the complete opposite of Eren and Mikasa, whose eyes were frantically scanning the area around you.

“Yeah… That’s me.”

“Ah, I’m sorry for coming up to you so suddenly, “ He lowered the hood of his cape to reveal himself fully, lifting his arm to scratch the back of his head sheepishly, “You must be surprised. We haven’t seen each other since our graduation ceremony, right?”

You noticed the emptiness of the otherwise always bustling streets and the weird feeling in your gut intensified.

_Something wasn’t right._

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

You tried to keep your tone friendly, willing yourself to not let your voice shake, and gave them your most convincing smile.

You felt anxious. Your heart wanted out. Your stomach was sick.

_Something wasn’t right._

“You’re Annie’s closest friend, aren’t you?” Eren asked rather brashly, almost accusingly and you did a double take before nodding dumbfounded.

“We just wanted to ask you if you knew where she was?”

_Huh?_

You pressed your feet into the ground to keep the stability in your knees, your brain convinced that you were physically in danger.

Armin noticed your confusion and took it upon himself to elaborate, “We were supposed to meet with Annie yesterday, but unfortunately she didn’t show up. We were worried she might have fallen ill? It’s not like her to just not show up…”

He looked at the ground with droopy eyes and for an instant, you almost believed him.

But you knew Annie.

You knew Annie better than anyone else.

And while it was true that Annie wasn’t the kind of person to just bail on someone and not show up, she also wasn’t the kind of person to meet up with Armin, Eren or Mikasa – let alone all three of them.

_Wait a second…_

You were supposed to have met with Annie in the town centre yesterday.

“That’s not possible, “ You called him out, your brows furrowed as you dared him to lie again, “Annie and I were already appointed yesterday.”

“Eh?” Mikasa looked visibly taken back, her head turning to watch Eren’s reaction, her voice losing its confident tone, “But then how…?”

“You were?” Armin asked, leaning slightly closer to you with hopeful eyes, “She was with you the whole day?”

Much to your surprise even Eren let out a laughter of relief, his stiff shoulders dropping as he turned his body to his friends, his hand going up to rest in the air, “See, I told you guys- “

“No.”

Eren froze, all three pairs of eyes wandering to you. The silence surrounding you was so thick, it could have been sliced with the sharp blades resting beside your legs.

“She never showed up.”

You looked from Armin to Mikasa, from Mikasa to Eren, and then again from Eren to Armin, taking in the thirty different emotions they were expressing to your revelation. You felt your own heartbeat pick up its pace, your throat running dry.

_Something wasn’t right._

“Besides…” You whispered, facing Armin, whose face had contorted into one of a painful acceptance, dejection seeping from his tiny body, “Didn’t you guys have your expedition outside the walls yesterday?”

They stiffened, their expressions one of someone who had gotten caught red-handed. Mikasa looked from Eren to Armin, the two boys looking at each other, unsure of what to respond.

_Something wasn’t right._

“The streets are oddly empty today, aren’t they?”

You added as you raised your gaze to glimmer at their panicked expressions, aware that their façade started to crack from your provocation.

“It’s to keep everyone safe.”

Mikasa answered defensively, a hint of annoyance lacing her voice.

“Any- Any who, thanks for helping us out, _____, “ Armin smiled shakily, grabbing his friends’ arms to turn away, “We don’t want to bother you any further. Have a great day- “

“Wait.”

You forced yourself to keep your eyes on Armin when Mikasa reached for the hand-grips of her gear, willing your heart to stay inside your chest. Sweat was pooling on your forehead, the adrenaline surging through your veins when Eren too looked visibly threatened.

“Didn’t you want to know where Annie is?”

You asked innocently, gripping the edges of your shirt. They looked at you flabbergasted. It took them a good minute to regain their composure, breaking out in nervous laughter as they remembered.

“Ah… Of- Of course- “

“It’s okay. We don’t want to impose on you further. Thank you, ____.”

Mikasa pulled Armin back, her eyes sending you one final warning before they all disappeared from your sight.

It was then that you let out a huge breath of relief, your lungs sucking in all of the air they had previously failed to do. All of the hair on the back of your neck stood proudly and there was only one driving force simmering in your blood right now.

_Something wasn’t right._

_You needed to find Annie._

Your legs had a mind of their own as they sprinted through the vacant streets of the district of Stohess. You tried not to panic as you distanced yourself further and further from the trio. They were obviously accusing Annie of something and were hoping to get the answer from you.

_What was going on?_

You remembered the whispers from the higher ups you had witnessed just a few hours ago. The report from yesterday’s expedition from outside the wall was grim. Many soldiers had lost their lives.

Something unexpected had happened.

A Female Titan had appeared out of nowhere - a Titan that seemed to have a properly functioning mind – a calculative Titan who was fully aware of its surroundings and had the ability to think.

_Like Eren._

You had been ghostly pale after you returned to your room after breakfast, remembering the number of people that had been crushed by this Titan. They were suspecting it to be someone from inside the walls – a female who had been with them during the expedition.

Because as they had gone in to retrieve her from the Titan’s neck, she had managed to escape, leaving everyone to wonder who the female Titan had been.

_No…_

You shook your head as you stopped running, your thighs burning from the strain and your sides pinching from the exhaustion. The image of a bloody and ripped scout’s cape under Annie’s bed flashed before your eyes.

_No way…_

Using all of the strength in your arms, you slapped both of your palms against your cheeks, committing yourself to get it together. You refused to add one and one together, dropping your body to squat on the ground.

Your head between your knees, you took in one deep breath after the other, mindful of the chirping birds and the whistling wind – and the lack of any human interactions.

Just as you had finally managed to calm your frantically beating heart, a loud thunder erupted from the direction to which the trio had walked off to.

_What the…?_

You lifted your head, your breath getting knocked right out of your lungs at the sight in front of you. You dropped to the ground, your hands barely reaching the ground in time to brake your fall.

Much farther ahead, a giant female Titan with blonde hair and icy blue eyes was standing tall, her eyes fixed on the ground beneath her.

Your heart fell to the pit of your stomach, your hands pushing your body off the ground instinctively as you started to clumsily run towards her.

_No…_

The traumatizing sounds of people screaming and explosions erupting disrupted the earlier peace, buildings collapsing left and right as the soldiers struggled to save as many people from the falling debris as possible.

You switched to using your 3DM gear to maneuver around the district when another thunder struck and you noticed the familiar Titan form of Eren running towards the female Titan. His fist connected with her cheek and she fell against a tower, dozens of anguished people falling to the ground.

They were fighting each other brutally, disregarding all of the innocent people around them. Your heart took a toll when you saw Mikasa splayed out on the ground, unconscious and unmoving.

Squeezing the grips, you were about to shoot a grapple-hook to the ground next to her to check up on her when Eren’s Titan started howling wildly. Your ears hurt from the impact as he was lying on top of a crushed building, dozens of smashed people beneath him, their blood painting the stony ground.

The female Titan left him behind, her thundering steps echoing all around them as she ran and jumped against the wall with purpose. You shot your hooks to the farthest building ahead, releasing all of the gas the mechanism had stored. Feeling the wind knocking the breath out of your lungs, your face hurting from the pressure, you sped up to reach the Titan.

“WAIT!”

You yelled at the Titan who was already half-way across the wall, failing to stop in time when she instinctively turned around with her fist aiming straight at you, threatening to punch you into oblivion. Your heart stuck in your throat, you closed your eyes to meet your inevitable fate.

You felt something rough colliding with your shoulder, a throbbing pain following right after as you opened your eyes to find your body crushed between the bricks of a roof and the strong body of Reiner, who had his arms wrapped around your waist.

“ARE YOU INSANE?! What was that for?!” His eyes wide and horrified, he spat at your reckless way of approaching the Titan.

But your own set of unbelieving eyes were fixed on the Titan, who for the fraction of a section stood frozen in her movements. She took in the state of your intertwined bodies, lowering her gaze to stare at her fist.

Reiner was breathing heavily against you, pushing you behind his back. He reached to connect his hand-grip to a blade before pulling the sword out of the container that was resting against his leg. You gripped the fabric of his jacket, pulling yourself up to reveal your face.

“Annie!”

You called out hopefully, your chest heaving as if you had run a marathon. Reiner stiffened, sucking in a breath, but you were much too focused on the way those crystal clear eyes widened at you, the Titan’s lips opening speechlessly.

“Don’t go…”

You whispered meekly, tightening your hold on Reiner, who was staring at you incredulously, wondering if he had heard you correctly.

“We still haven’t talked- “

The shattering scream of Eren drowned your desperate plea, the ground shaking beneath you as he started sprinting towards Annie once again with all of his might. Reiner managed to get the two of you out of there in time, disregarding your protests and whines, overpowering you with his sheer strength.

“Let go! I still have to talk- “

“We’re going to get crushed, _____!”

You bit into his shoulder in vain, hitting his head repeatedly. All he did was hiss and tighten his grip on you, effectively putting more distance between you and Annie, who was now lying on the ground with Eren on top of her.

“I’m not going to let you kill yourself!”

He stopped on top of another roof near them, a shaken up Bertholdt catching up to the two of you.

“Reiner! What do we do- ”

“We’re okay!” The blond interrupted his friend, feeling something wet on his hands. He looked past your shoulders to see your face streaming with tears.

He looked at you incredulously once more, shocked to witness that even after this terrible revelation, you were shedding tears for your friend.

You were supposed to be angry and disgusted, you were supposed to feel betrayed.

But here you were.

Trapped in his arms, clawing at him to let you out, your throat scratchy from all of your hoarse screams. You wailed once more, watching Eren get another hit in, pain settling in your bones at the terrible and heart-wrenching scene you had to witness.

Your breath rattled when Annie stopped moving and Eren lowered his head.

“NO!”

He opened his mouth, revealing his monumental sharp teeth, saliva dripping from his panting lips.

“DON’T!”

Fear coursed through your veins, an electric buzz running through your entire body.

“PLEASE!”

Reiner tightened his grip around you even more, his own expression twisted into one of panic and desperation, the stammering breaths of Bertholdt behind you intensifying the tragic scene.

“I still- ”

Your lips quivered and you found yourself forgetting your surroundings, memories of Annie flashing in front of your eyes,

“I still want to talk with you- ”

_Annie teaching you how to fight,_

“I still- “

_Annie looking after you when you were sick,_

“I still want to patrol the district together with you, “

_Annie helping you adjust your uniform and your gear with an exasperated sigh at your dependency on her,_

“I still- “

_Annie lying next to you on the grass on that starry night, her blonde hair shimmering beneath the bright stars, her icy eyes glowing at the moon – the night your heart had sealed its own fate,_

“I still haven’t told you how I feel…”

You felt Reiner’s hands loosening around you and Bertholdt’s anxious crying stopping, both feeling something stir inside of them at your loyalty to Annie.

Eren’s teeth were now ripping the skin off of Annie’s neck, the petrifying sounds of it nestling deep inside your bones, sure to haunt you in the future to come.

_No, no, no…_

“He’s going to eat her…” Reiner muttered through clenched teeth, Bertholdt whimpering as he dropped to his knees, his hands curled beside his face in fright.

_This damn bastard…_

You suddenly felt raw, pure rage boiling from the pit of your stomach. A fire spreading through your frozen limbs to engulf your heart and before you knew it, you were screeching from the top of your lungs.

“DON’T YOU DARE DIE ON ME, YOU GODDAMNED IDIOT! YOU HEAR ME?!”

Several soldiers turned to face you disbelievingly.

“DON’T YOU DARE DIE ON ME! NOT WHEN WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO EXPERIENCE TOGETHER! NOT WHEN- “

You took a deep breath, when Annie’s real body had been ripped from the binds of her Titan form, trapped inside Eren’s monstrous hand.

Seething fury laced with the desperation of a dying man overtook you and you reached deep inside of your heart, deciding to lay it all out in a last attempt to get Annie to save herself.

“NOT WHEN I STILL HAVE TO CONFESS MY FEELINGS TO YOU!”

Time stopped.

Everything turned quiet.

It was only the pounding of your heart that was audible in your throbbing ears as you noticed Annie crying with her eyes still closed.

It was then that something incredible happened.

Beads and beads of crystal seemed to come out of nowhere, surrounding Annie’s limp body in a speed unknown to human eyes.

In a single second her entire body had been crystallized, Eren’s teeth breaking in the process of trying to bite into it.

You felt Reiner slumping against you with a relieved sigh, your own hands dropping from his arm you had clung onto just a second ago.

Your eyes glued to Annie’s body inside the unbreakable crystal, you felt your body swaying, your vision distorted as the exhaustion and the shock finally settled in your bones.

You managed to release one last breath of ease before you succumbed to the darkness.


End file.
